1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a weather strip for use in an automobile, and more particularly to a weather strip for mounting along a peripheral edge portion of an opening formed in the automobile body, such as a window opening and an opening closed by a door (hereinafter referred to as "door opening").
2. Prior Art
A conventional weather strip is mounted along a peripheral edge portion of a window opening or a door opening, and when the opening is closed by a closure member such as a window glass pane or a door, the weather strip forms a seal between the peripheral edge portion of the opening and the closure member.
FIGS. 9 and 10 shows a typical example of such conventional weather strips. More specifically, this weather strip 3 is designed to be mounted along a peripheral edge portion of a quarter window opening 1 (see FIG. 1). The weather strip 3 includes a trim portion 31 of U-shaped cross- section, a hollow seal portion 32 formed on one side wall 31a of the trim portion 31, and a seal lip 33 formed on a distal end of the side wall 31a. A core means 4 in the form of discrete core elements 40 of a U-shaped cross-section is embedded in the trim portion 31, the core elements 40 being embedded in the trim portion 31 in spaced relation to one another. Another core member having such U-shaped core elements connected together at their bases of the U-shape is also known.
The weather strip 3 is mounted on a flange 11 provided on the peripheral edge portion of the quarter window opening in such a manner that the flange 11 is held between opposed holder lips 34 formed on the opposed inner surfaces of the trim portion 31. When the quarter window opening is closed by a window glass pane 2, the seal portion 32 is pressed against the glass pane 2.
When the weather strip is to be mounted relative to the opening in the automobile body, the weather strip is bent or flexed along a corner portion (for example, a corner portion C in FIG. 1). At this time, the weather strip is bent in the direction of a line B (the center line of the U-shaped cross-section of the trim portion 31) indicated in FIG. 9 in such a manner that the open end of the trim portion 31 is directed outwardly. In this case, the inward portion of the weather strip disposed inwardly of the neutral axis A of this bent portion is compressed whereas the outward portion of the weather strip disposed outwardly of the neutral axis A is elongated or extended. That portion of the weather strip disposed at the neutral axis A is neither compressed nor extended.
It is known, however, that the weather strip thus bent at the above corner portion is turned to be tilted in a direction of an arrow Y as shown in FIG. 10. When such tilting is excessive, the seal lip 33 fails to be pressed against a body panel 10 and hence is spaced therefrom.